The field of the disclosure relates generally to text-to-speech (TTS) systems, and more particularly, to network-based systems and methods for correcting text-to-speech pronunciation.
Text-to-speech (TTS) systems typically convert text objects, for example location names, road names, and/or business names, to an auditory speech object that may be heard by a user. These systems may facilitate visually impaired persons to understand text in an electronic file, may facilitate hands-free device usage such as during navigation and direction, and may also facilitate reading electronic files to a user such that the user may interact with the file and make selections and/or amend the text objects therein. Generally, the TTS systems rely on phonetic rules and/or analysis to determine the pronunciation of words and phrases converted from the text objects to the auditory speech objects provided to the user.
One example is a map-based navigation system. At least some known navigation systems include a TTS system that reads directions and/or locations, such as directions to a point-of-interest or a service location (e.g., an automatic teller machine (ATM)), to the user during the course of navigation. Another example is a reader system that may read electronic text files to the user. In some such systems, the TTS system relies on general phonetic rules to generate auditory speech objects of location names and/or business names to the user. However, in many geographical areas, location and business names may be based on dialects other than the geographical area's spoken language. Additionally, location names and/or business names may be considered slang, wherein the local pronunciation does not follow any typical phonetic rules. As such, pronunciation errors in the TTS systems may inconvenience the user. Local users within the geographical area may not trust the TTS systems when hearing location and/or business names that sound unfamiliar and incorrect due to pronunciation errors. If such local users feel that the TTS system is unreliable, they may stop using the TTS system. In light of the foregoing, it would be useful to have a TTS system that allows users to correct TTS pronunciation errors.